Collector

before,
there was this girl-
you've seen her in all the songs
about the magical, damaged things
all the foolish boys try to repair
declarations of love from duritz and lowery
for the crazy girl
whose light is brighter
than the dark-
and she was all right, most of the time
with a few brief, but notable
exceptions.
she was a collector of hugs and hearts
and souls, without meaning to be
and most of the time
she simply stuck them in her pocket
and forgot them.
and then the sun came and it was brighter than she was
and the darkness is hard to see when the world is all shadows
and light and dark became blind and filthy
and she slept
until the haze filmed the windows
and gently held her eyes
away from the glare
and blinking awake she thought of her collection-
placed them all carefully
back where they belonged
and locked the door
behind her.